“God, I hope not,” he said. “Here’s what I think we should do. We should talk, like we already do. We should spend time together. We should take it easy and slow and make sure we understand each other. Right? If there are things about me you don’t like, don’t want to be stuck with, you have to promise to speak up. And vice versa. I’m not going to try to change you, but I want to really know you. So far, you’d have trouble convincing me you’re not perfect.”

She laughed at him. “Well, I guarantee you, I’m not!”

“Let’s do it, Ginger. Let’s check this out—us. I’ve been alone over a year and no one ever shook me up like you. I’m not walking away without a real good reason. But if you tell me to go...” He shrugged. “Just be honest with me, that’s all. I’m sure I’ll make mistakes but I’m not going to force myself on a woman.”

“And yet, you packed an overnight bag,” she pointed out.

“I am the eternal optimist.”

“I’m going to get in the shower. What will you do today while I work?”

“Well, with your permission, I’m going to go see Peyton, tell her we’re together and ask her to butt out.”

“Oh, Matt,” she said.

“Seriously, she’s been hell to bear ever since she first saw the way I looked at you. I love my sister but she’s a bossy pain in the ass. Sisters should always be younger. She’s not the boss of me.”

Ginger laughed. “You be nice to her or I’ll dump you.”

“Sure. Right. So then I might check and see if I can bring you lunch. I’ll walk around town a little, maybe head down the beach if the weather holds. And there are some organic farms east of here. I like looking at farms, talking to farmers.” He lay back on the bed, lacing his fingers together behind his head. He crossed one long, hairy leg over the other. “Right now I’m going to watch you do your morning things. And enjoy it.”

She took her coffee into the bathroom. “No,” she said. “You’re not.” And she slammed the door.

* * *

“Well, good morning,” Grace chirped when Ginger came in the back door of the shop. Grace was making a centerpiece, and Ginger marveled at how fast her hands moved, how perfectly symmetrically every stem and blossom fell into place. “How was dinner last night?”

“Hilarious—Ashley and Eve joined us. They tell these riotous stories of college life, the older women get the vapors and we all laugh until we have to stop and take a bathroom break. And the food was out of this world. Zorba’s. Have you been?”

“I don’t think so. I’ll have to talk Troy into that some night when we need a break from Winnie.”

“And how is dear Winnie?” Ginger asked.

“Dear Winnie is in fine form. You know, I brought her here because it was practical—that big old house in San Francisco wasn’t going to work for an invalid. And selfishly, I thought the only way I could spend time with her without killing myself flying back and forth to the Bay Area was if I could get her up here. But I didn’t realize how perfectly it would work out. First of all, Lin Su is a dream come true. She’s there almost every day in spite of the fact we hired her for a forty-hour week. As long as she can slip away to take care of her own personal business while Winnie rests or is tended by Mikhail, she’s happy to check on Winnie almost every day. And Winnie loves her. Whew, huh? And when Winnie is outside on the deck enjoying the activity on the beach and bay, people drop by to visit with her. I’ll go out on a limb and say she’s never had this in her life—she’s been too isolated by position. No one in Thunder Point knows or cares that Winnie is important.” She laughed almost gaily. “Mikhail is developing a routine and making friends—he’s off to the diner, the neighbors’, Cooper’s, he’s even driven up to the rink in North Bend to check out the skating and he let it slip the other night that he’s thinking of retirement. Now, I don’t know if that’s true but I bet it means he’s not leaving anytime soon.”

“He must like this little town,” Ginger said.

“Kind of sounds like it.” Grace stopped working and looked at Ginger. “I brewed coffee for you even though I am staying off caffeine.”

“Apparently you don’t need it,” Ginger said. “You’re pretty energetic.”

“And you look fantastic this morning. You must have slept better than usual or something.”

“I think so, yes,” she said, getting herself some coffee. While dressing her coffee, without looking at Grace, she said, “I had a surprise visitor last night.”

“Oh? And who might that be?”

“Matt,” she said quietly. “He came knocking...”

Grace gasped. “Oh! Did you talk?”

“Of course we talked,” she said with a laugh. “He freaked out that I was out of reach.”

“And drove all the way down here!” Grace said. “And back? That’s about eight hours round trip!”

“He didn’t go back,” Ginger said. “I think he’s showering right now.”

Grace gasped again. “Oh, my God, get out of here! Go back upstairs. I can handle this—there’s not much going on. You should have just called me! You could have had the day. After all you’ve done for me—”

“It’s okay, Grace,” Ginger said. “I’m not changing my schedule for Matt. And he has things to do today. I’ll see him later. In fact, I might suggest we go to Zorba’s for dinner. There are tons of things on the menu I want to try.”

“If you don’t mind me asking—what does he have to do today?”

“I think he’s starting with a visit to Peyton to tell her he’s here to see me. I hope that goes well—to hear Matt tell it, she’s been trying to spare me Matt’s pursuit.”

“I take it you’d rather not be spared?”

“He’s a wonderful man, Grace. He’s kind and generous and very strong in principle. I think I’m falling in love with him.”

“Think?”

“Okay, I’m sure, but don’t tell, okay? We’re both a little wounded—a couple of painful relationships, a hard time getting back on our feet, all that baggage. We’ll be okay, I think. But we shouldn’t have to deal with pressure from loving friends and family.”